The National tribune., 1887-10-06

Gate" It suggested a visit to the Southern
coast Of California, where the sun is said TO
shine brighter, the birds to sing more sweetly,
the flowers to be painted more beautifully, the
zephyrs to blow more softly; where one peren-
nial Spring dispels all gloom and the soft hazy
atmosphere so influences the human system
that the inhabitants sometimes imagine they
have found the land of the Fire WOrshipers /;
this only could compare with what greeted the
eyes OF the favored who received invitations to
the banquet Mrs. c. c. Rainwater and other
officers Of the Woman's Christian Association,
superintendent the arrangements. which con-
sisted of four tables 90 yards long. extending
from east TO west the length of the hail. with a
seating capacity OF $50 persons. On either side
Of the hall were tables covered with apricots,
pomegranates, English walnuts, ounces. pears,
apples, peaches, grapes, melons, pumpkins,
wines, and everything else grown in California.
There were l,l49 persons present
COL III. II. Osborne, of Los Angeles, was Mas
ter of Ceremonies At $50 the guests were
seated at the banquet tables, and Gen. Fair
child was introduced and made few brief re-
marks. He was followed by Hon. Hannibal
Hamlin. who said that he was " Forty-niner,"
and bad watched with great interest the prog
ress of California and the accumulation of
wealth by Others, for which he helped lay the
foundation before some of them were born.
Mayor Francis was next introduced, and well
coined the Californians as he said, the second
time TO the hospitality OF st. Louis. He was
followed by Gov. Richard Oglesby, of Illinois.
Gov. Evans, of Colorado. made few remarks,
when Gen. w. L. Sherman came into the hall
and the entire assembly arose and gave three
cheers and tiger for the hero and the band
struck up Marching Through Georgia" The
General was called upon and responded by say
ing moro than is his custom on such occasions.
Twenty different kinds of wine were served.
PENSION RELIEF ASSOCIATION.
The first meeting of the National Pension
Relief Association was held at Central Turner
Hall Wednesday night for the purpose of elect
ing officers under the permanent organization.
Nearly 500 delegates from the various State
Posts visiting in st. Louis were present, and
the States of Indiana, Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, Ohio, Iowa, Michigan. Missouri,
Colorado, Oregon. Maine, Kansas, Illinois, New
Jersey, Wisconsin and Arkansas were fully
represented. Gen. A. p. Hovey, of Indiana,
was the unanimous choice for President of the
new association, and q. NJ. Walrod, of Indian
apolis, Ind, was elected Secretary. The asso-
citation desired the appointment of q resident
Vice President for each State, but only 13
States were represented at the meeting. The
Vice Presidents chosen were: s. NJ. Werle,
Massachusetts,; III. Il. Washburne New Hamp-
shire; Charles Wolcott, Columbus, o.; Col. w.
i. Hepburn Clarinda, Iowa; Gov. Alger, De-
troit Mich; George Hall, Trenton, Mo-; Col.
Garoyor, Denver, Colo; ii. s. German, Port
land, Me-; L. b. Parke, Usage Mission. Kan;
Horace Clark, Mattoon, ILL.,; John p. Carey,
Bridgeport, n. j.: William SOdon, Oregon, Wis,
and James Lewellan, Mabellvile Ark.
The duty expected of each appointed is to
secure the influence and vote of every Post in
the United States TO secure the passage of the
service pension bill, House Bill No. 1906, now
before Congress, granting pensions to all SOL
diers of the late war honorably discharged from
service, aud fixing the minimum compensation
at s. per month.
Gen. Bennett, of Richmond, Ind, cited sta
tistics showing that the minimum rate would
be 500 per annum, and that the total number
of pensioners, should the bill become law
would approximate 100000, making the an,
nual minimum expenditure of pension money
by the Government S96,O00O0O. Gen. Bennett
said: The annual surplus reaches $l35, ,00O, COO
Give as boys the $4,000, 900; let the thieves
keep the $i0.000.000 remaining"
Mr.. Hovey, Congressman from Mt. Vernon
Ind, the Chairman of the association, then
rose and said: Comrades, my say will be
short; there will be one man in the 50th Con
gress who will withhold his vote from any
governmental expenditure until the soldiers oI
the late war have been paid. Enthusiastic
cheers. There is no use talking, boys there
is certain Southern section that fights your
bill aud other bills of q similar nature. Never
mind, we will veto some of these fellows be-
fore we get out of this. We are the men who
made the Government bonds what they are
we arc tho men who, when we whipped the
and cotton, went home and paid the duties and
taxes into the National Treasury now bursting
with our money and, comrades, we want that
money now"